Collapsible coat hanger



Feb. 3,' 1948. N, wlNGATE, 2,435,301

COLLAPSIBLE COAT HANGER Filed Nov. 2o, 1945 la 15 NORMAN LANGLEY WINGATE Patented Feb. 3, 1948 UNITED STATES i PATENT OFFICE coLLAPsIBLE ooA'r HANGER Norman ALangley Wingate, Albany, Gn. Application November 20,1945, serial No. 629,761 2 Claims. (Cl. 223-94) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in collapsible coat hangers and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner hereinafter set forth, a device of this character embodying novel means for collapsing and retaining in uncollapsed relation the arms of a coat hanger.

Another object of my invention is to produce a collapsible coat hanger which is comparatively simple of construction, strong, durable, light in weight, and which may be manufactured at low cost.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a coat hanger which may be readily insertable in and removable from clothes, especially by reason of the fact that the hanger of my invention is readily collapsible.

The foregoing and still further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a study of the following specication, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts.

Figure 1 represents a coat hanger in elevation, the dotted lines showing the position of one arm after collapsing.

Figure 2 is a detail, partly in section, showing particularly a form of lock for holding the device in uncollapsed position.

Figure 3 is an end view, -partly in section, of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an end view of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an end view similar to Figure 4 but having a slightly different lock.

Figure 6 is apartial view of a third type of lock, and

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 'I-'I of Figure 6.

Referring now to the drawings in detail numeral I is the hook usually found associated with coat hangers, and adapted to hang from rods, hanger hooks, etc.

Formed integrally with the shank of the hook is a right-hand arm 2 of the hanger shaped in the -form of a bent rod. In one embodiment of.. my invention this rod is about 1A" in diameter, and may be fabricated of steel, wood, plastic, aluminum, stainless steel or other material adapted to produce an economical yet durable hanger. Ii

made of plastic, various colors may be used, making my novel hanger particularly attractive in. appearance.

The shank of the member 2 is provided with a slot 3, into which may be tted siidably a lugg" 4 transversely pivoted in the slot 3 by means of a pin or rivet 5.

Formed integrally with the lug 4 is the lefthand arm B of the hanger. The left-hand arm 6 may be swung or pivoted about rivet or pin 5 in the manner shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, to collapse the hanger. To permit complete collapse of the hanger the arm 2 may be undercut, as shown at 1, suiliciently to receive a portion of arm 6.

In order to retain arm 8 is uncollapsed or extended position I use any one of a plurality of detents or locks. Figures 1, 2, and 4 disclose one form of lock or detent comprising a cover plate 8 pivotally secured to the hook I by means of a screw 9. The plate 8 may be pivoted to the position shown in Figure 4 in dotted outline when it is desired to collapse the hanger, and which in the position shown in full lines in Figure 4 and shown in Figures 1 and 2 will retain the arms I and 2in extended position.

Figure 5 shows a detent plate I0 having a slot II which may be slid upwardly on screw member 9 preliminarily to collapse of the hanger and which may be slid downwardly to lock the hanger in extended position.

Figure 6 shows still another form of detent or lock comprising a bent member I2 centrally pivoted about a staple I3, which may be molded into the handle I. The bent member I2 comprises a detent portion I4 slidable over lug 4 and normally so retained by lever action produced by compressed spring Ili acting against portion I5 of member I2 and thereby causing pivoting of member I2 about staple I3 as a iulcrum. When it is desired to collapse the hanger, pressure may be applied to portion I5 of member I2, causing further compression of spring I6 and suiicient movement of detent portion I4 to uncover lug 4 and permit its release from slot 3.

It is believed that the many advantages of a collapsible coat hanger constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and de- `scribed, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to and will fall Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

l. A collapsible coat hanger comprising a hook member provided with a shank, a first arm extending from one side of the shank of said member and secured to the shank, a. slot formed in an end face of the shank of said hook member, a second arm extending from the opposite side of the shank of the hookmember, a, lug carriedY by the inner-end of said second arm, said lug being arranged Within said slot and mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, and detent means embodying amember on said shank movable toward and away from said slot for releasably retaining -said--lugfin saidslot.:A

2. A collapsib1e-=cathanger. comprising a, hook member provided with a shank, a rst arm extending from one side of the shank of said inem# ber and secured to the shank, a slot formed in, any

end face of the shank of said hook member, a transversely-disposed pin extending throughsaid slot and carried by the shank, a second armpex: VK

said slot and pivotally secured on said pin, and

5 detentmeans embodying a cover plate on said shank shiftable toward and away from said slot for releasably retaining said lug in said slot.

NORMANy LANGLEY WINGATE.

Y RERENCS; G11-ED The following ref vrences are of record in. the il le of this patent:

; UNITED STATES PATENTS Y j Name Date 1,979,687 A, H/all Nov. 6, 1934 

